‘An honor and privilege’ High Bank Nationals begin tonight with four strong voices 

The National Anthem was first played at a sporting event on Sept. 5, 1918 during Game 1 of the World Series between the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs. 

That day was actually a somber one, as the U.S. was in the midst of World War I and more than 100,000 U.S. soldiers had died, according to ESPN The Magazine. Just a day before the game, a bomb had exploded in Chicago, killing four people and injuring dozens more. In addition, the U.S. government had recently announced that it would begin drafting major league baseball players.

However, during the seventh-inning stretch, the U.S. Navy band began to play the Star-Spangled Banner, and it was met with a rousing applause. 

Several players turned and gave the American flag a military salute, according to the Chicago Times. Other players stood with hands over hearts, and the crowd began to sing. The song was played for the remainder of the games in the Series.

Other baseball teams began to play the song after the Star-Spangled Banner offiat Huset’s.

This week marks the fifth annual High Bank Nationals at Huset’s, the largest paying sprint car event in the world with $300,000 to the winner who will be crowned Saturday night. Large crowds fill the grandstands at Huset’s all four nights, beginning tonight.

The High Bank Nationals is also just two weeks shy of America’s 250th Anniversary, adding to the steeped tradition of the National Anthem.

It’ll be up to four female singers to bring the thousands in attendance to a fevered pitch with their rendition of the National Anthem during pre-race ceremonies. 

Janelle Nordstrom of Madison will kick things off tonight to open the High Banks. Nordstrom said she’s been on stage since she was three years old and has been a professional actress and singer with appearances on television and print media. 

While living in Phoenix, she was a member of three different bands. She’s seasoned at singing the National Anthem at sporting events, and sang it at last year’s Knoxville Nationals. 

“I consider it an honor and privilege to be able to sing our country’s anthem any time I have the chance,” she said. “I’m very, very grateful to have that opportunity.”

Nordstrom was part of the Huset’s rotation of National Anthem singers during the regular season last year. She also sang the Canadian National Anthem at all four nights of the Knoxville Nationals last year. She’s slated to do the same in 2026.

Thursday night at Huset’s brings Megan DeBoer to the flag stand where she’ll sing the National Anthem. She said she’s been singing the Anthem “a lot longer than I can remember.” She received a music degree from South Dakota State University and has had a long career in vocal performance. She still sings in the choir for the South Dakota Symphony.

“My eyes are welling up, just talking about it,” she said when asked if singing the Anthem around America’s 250th anniversary was more special. “Being able to sing it at a sporting event that has such a patriotic foundation is really cool.”

Nikki Wasner of Garretson comes to the stage on Friday. Wasner has been singing since she was eight years old, and recently tried out for American Idol.

She said Friday at Huset’s will be the largest crowd she’s performed in front of, but also said she’s not nervous for a moment.

“Nope. I love it,” said Wasner, who also performed at Huset’s earlier this year on May 31. “Anytime that I’ve sung the National Anthem, I sing it proudly because I’m proud to be an American. That’s something that’s ours.”

Saturday night’s event that could easily bring more than 10,000 to Huset’s will be kicked off by 19-year-old Kaylee Traver, a Sioux Center, Iowa,native who’s headed to Dordt University this fall on a basketball scholarship.

She began singing three years ago when she was noticed at a high school audition as a freshman. Her talent was quickly recognized and she sang the Anthem to open the Iowa State Fair last year, an event that brings in tens of thousands. That opportunity opened the door to several National Anthem opportunities.

Still, she said, singing the National Anthem on Saturday at Huset’s is made even more special because of the timeliness to America’s 250th birthday.

“It does kind of put a lump in my throat,” she said. “It means a lot to our country and I’ll try and make it special.”

Making it special is no easy feat. All four singers agreed that the National Anthem is anything but an easy tune to perform.

According to USA Today, the National Anthem is so hard to sing because of its remarkable range between high and low tones. The song spans one-and-a-half octaves, so singers must carefully choose what key they want to sing it in. Starting wrong can lead to a disastrous finish.

“It’s not easy. A lot of people don’t realize that,” DeBoer said. “But I’m not nervous about singing it. I’ve stylistically changed over the years as my voice has changed and matured. The only thing I keep thinking about is the reverb in those places. It’s tricky. It’s an outdoor venue with a ton of variables, depending on how the wind is blowing and how the sound is coming back at you. But as far as the singing goes, I can handle it.”

So as the world’s highest paying sprint car event gets going tonight at Huset’s for four straight days, motorsports fans can buckle in for a great start to each night.